B9677-007: High-technology Entrepreneurship (Master Class)

This course provides a systematic and practical framework for the development of new high-technology ventures, with a particular focus on strategy and marketing. The course uses a combination of “live” case analyses with leading industry guests, hands-on real-world tasks, and in-class discussions and demonstrations of useful conceptual frameworks. Topics that are covered include identifying and evaluating opportunities in the evolving environment (new venture ideation), developing go-to-market strategies and overcoming adoption obstacles, developing a business plan (including key marketing mix elements like pricing, versioning, promotion, distribution), and creating an effective presentation to raise capital. Teams of 3-5 students each will work intensively to identify, develop, and pitch a new high-technology venture. The ultimate objective is for the students to launch their own new venture. In the final class session, students present their new venture to a panel of leading venture capitalists.

Additional Information:

36 student limit

2ND year MBA and 3rd term and above EMBA students

Teams (3-5 students) will be formed in the class for the new venture project

Attendance of first class is mandatory

Permission of professor required to bid on this Master Class – apply via email to ch2133@columbia.edu with the following (must be received by 12pm (noon) on Friday, October 31, 2008)

Professor Kivetz’s research examines consumer and managerial decision making, the psychology of effort and reward (and its application to loyalty programs and other incentive systems), reverse self-control ("hyperopia"), and marketing high technology. Kivetz teaches courses on marketing high technology and entrepreneurship in the day and executive MBA programs and a Ph.D. course on bridging decision research with marketing science...